Quoting you Andy ‘Once more, if we divide the world into spiritual things and secular things, we compromise the power of the Christian Gospel.’ Very important point. Since God made all, such a split is unspiritual in nature. In addition the Bible is rife with political critiques and all are from a spiritual perspective. Because everything is spiritual and political. I used to hate that position. Now it’s a comfortable knowing.
Lovely read! Having grown up in the Church I have experienced a variety of perspectives around this conversation. Can’t wait to hear more of what you have to say, I can certainly resonate with the feeling that those who have been in the Church for a longer time are reluctant to engage with new ways of thinking. There’s a kind of passivity and confidence that tends to kill many questions, and kill energy around current events and issues, even as people insist that questions are good and that the good news of Jesus is eternally relevant.
Your engagement here is deeply appreciated, and as a member of precisely my target audience, your perspective is invaluable!
As someone who has grown up in the church, and also one who will have come of age during the social media/AI revolution, you will certainly have a unique perspective.
Your experience is one that I am familiar with. No one in Christian leadership will ever come out and explicitly say that questions are unwelcome. As you rightly say, the opposite is more likely to be proclaimed, and in all honesty I don't think this is disingenuous. My concern is that there are certain questions which are deemed reasonable to ask (this goes back to the fear of complexity i raised in the post) and others which are quietly considered off limits because they are potentially thorny and disruptive. Of course, the problem isn't the questions themselves but the attitude and positionality towards raising questions.
My advice is keep asking, keep talking and in the midst of Spirit-filled conversation, we will start to see more clearly.
Do feel free to pose any of your own particular questions to this platform.
Quoting you Andy ‘Once more, if we divide the world into spiritual things and secular things, we compromise the power of the Christian Gospel.’ Very important point. Since God made all, such a split is unspiritual in nature. In addition the Bible is rife with political critiques and all are from a spiritual perspective. Because everything is spiritual and political. I used to hate that position. Now it’s a comfortable knowing.
Lovely read! Having grown up in the Church I have experienced a variety of perspectives around this conversation. Can’t wait to hear more of what you have to say, I can certainly resonate with the feeling that those who have been in the Church for a longer time are reluctant to engage with new ways of thinking. There’s a kind of passivity and confidence that tends to kill many questions, and kill energy around current events and issues, even as people insist that questions are good and that the good news of Jesus is eternally relevant.
Dear Toby,
Your engagement here is deeply appreciated, and as a member of precisely my target audience, your perspective is invaluable!
As someone who has grown up in the church, and also one who will have come of age during the social media/AI revolution, you will certainly have a unique perspective.
Your experience is one that I am familiar with. No one in Christian leadership will ever come out and explicitly say that questions are unwelcome. As you rightly say, the opposite is more likely to be proclaimed, and in all honesty I don't think this is disingenuous. My concern is that there are certain questions which are deemed reasonable to ask (this goes back to the fear of complexity i raised in the post) and others which are quietly considered off limits because they are potentially thorny and disruptive. Of course, the problem isn't the questions themselves but the attitude and positionality towards raising questions.
My advice is keep asking, keep talking and in the midst of Spirit-filled conversation, we will start to see more clearly.
Do feel free to pose any of your own particular questions to this platform.
Happy New Year!
Andy.